A camera contains a lens or multiple lenses through which light waves pass. The light waves contact an image sensor which converts the waves to electrical signals to create the final image. The image sensor must be properly aligned with the lens to take advantage of the full potential of the sensor. As camera technology has improved, the process and accuracy of positioning the lens within a lens holder relative to the image sensor has improved to realize the overall image quality the camera produces. Currently, the method of positioning the sensor relative to the lens is active alignment.
Active alignment utilizes alignment software and mechanisms to align the lens relative to the image sensor in upwards of six degrees of freedom (up, down, side-to-side, pitch, yaw, roll). However, the process of active alignment can be time consuming and the software and alignment mechanism can be expensive. Additionally, the accuracy of the active alignment cannot be verified until further construction of the camera (i.e., mounting of an outer housing about the lens holder) takes place.